Pharynx
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Pharynx | |
|---|---|
| Gray's | subject #244 1141 |
| MeSH | Pharynx |
| Dorlands/Elsevier | p_16/12633198 |
The pharynx (plural: pharynges) is the part of the neck and throat situated immediately posterior to the mouth and nasal cavity, and cranial to the esophagus, larynx, and trachea. It is part of the digestive system and respiratory system of many organisms.
Because both food and air pass through the pharynx, special adaptations are necessary to prevent choking or aspiration when food or liquid is swallowed. In humans the pharynx is important in vocalization.
Reference:
Contents |
[edit] Parts
The human pharynx is conventionally divided into three sections:
- Nasopharynx, lying behind the nasal cavity. Postero-superiorly this extends from the level of the junction of the hard and soft palates to the base of skull, laterally to include the fossa of Rosenmuller. The inferior wall consists of the superior surface of the soft palate.
- Oropharynx, which lies behind the oral cavity. The anterior wall consists of the base of the tongue and the vallecula; the lateral wall is made up of the tonsil, tonsillar fossa, and tonsillar (faucial) pillars; the superior wall consists of the inferior surface of the soft palate and the uvula.
- Hypopharynx, also known as the laryngopharynx, which includes the pharyngo-oesophageal junction (postcricoid area), the piriform sinus, and the posterior pharyngeal wall. Like the oropharynx above it the hypopharynx serves as a passageway for food and air and is lined with a stratified squamous epithelium. It lies directly posterior to the upright epiglottis and extends to the larynx, where the respiratory and digestive pathways diverge. At that point the laryngopharynx is continuous with the esophpagus posteriorly. The esophagus conducts food and fluids to the stomach; air enters the larynx anteriorly. During swallowing, food has the "right of way", and air passage temporarily stops.
[edit] Additional images
Conducting passages. |
Organs of the digestive system. |
The entrance to the larynx, viewed from behind. |
[edit] References
Human Anatomy and Physiology Elaine N. Marieb and Katja Hoehn, Seventh Edition.
TNM Classification of Malignant Tumours Sobin LH & Wittekind Ch (eds)Sixth edition UICC 2002 ISBN 0-471-22288-7
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
| Respiratory system - edit |
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| Nose | Nasal cavity | Pharynx | Larynx | Trachea | Lungs | Bronchi | Alveoli | Conducting zone | Respiratory zone |
| Upper gastrointestinal tract
Mouth | Pharynx (nasopharynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx) | Esophagus | Crop | Stomach (rugae, gastric pits, cardia, pylorus) Lower gastrointestinal tract Small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, ileum) | Vermiform appendix Large intestine: Cecum | Colon (ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon) | Rectum (Houston valve, rectal ampulla, pectinate line) | Anal canal (anal valves, anal sinuses, anal columns) Anus: Sphincter ani internus muscle | Sphincter ani externus muscle Enteric nervous system: Meissner's plexus | Auerbach's plexus Enteroendocrine cells: G cells | Enterochromaffin cells | Enterochromaffin-like cell GALT: Peyer's patches | M cells parietal cells | chief cells | goblet cells | Brunner's glands | Paneth cells | enterocytes intestinal villus/microvillus | crypts of Lieberkühn | circular folds | taenia coli | haustra | epiploic appendix |
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